Fathers are increasingly turning down overtime and promotions and taking pay cuts to spend more time with their children, a survey suggests.
Fathers are increasingly turning down overtime and promotions and taking pay cuts to spend more time with their children, a survey suggests.
Some 43% of the 1,000 fathers surveyed by finance firm ING Direct said they had chosen to put careers on hold.
Some 43% of the 1,000 fathers surveyed by finance firm ING Direct said they had chosen to put careers on hold.
Those men were forfeiting an average of £2,800 in pay each year, it found.
Those men were forfeiting an average of £2,800 in pay each year, it found.
It follows an Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) call to remove barriers stopping fathers playing a more active role with children.
It follows an Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) call to remove barriers stopping fathers playing a more active role with children.
ING Direct chief executive Lindsay Sinclair said: "Modern men are choosing to put their careers on hold in order to balance work with bringing up their children."
ING Direct chief executive Lindsay Sinclair said: "Modern men are choosing to put their careers on hold in order to balance work with bringing up their children."
"For many this means reducing working hours and taking an average salary cut of £2,800."
"For many this means reducing working hours and taking an average salary cut of £2,800."
Almost one-third of those questioned had refused overtime, while one in 10 said they had switched to a part-time job.
Almost one-third of those questioned had refused overtime, while one in 10 said they had switched to a part-time job.
One in 20 said they had turned down a pay rise to spend more time with their children.
One in 20 said they had turned down a pay rise to spend more time with their children.
And more than a third of respondents said bosses had been "unsupportive" of childcare duties.
And more than a third of respondents said bosses had been "unsupportive" of childcare duties.
Paternity call
Paternity call
On Saturday, the EOC said fathers were more likely to have requests for flexible working rejected than mothers.
On Saturday, the EOC said fathers were more likely to have requests for flexible working rejected than mothers.
And it urged Prime Minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown to push for an extension to the current two-week period of paternity leave.
And it urged Prime Minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown to push for an extension to the current two-week period of paternity leave.
The EOC surveyed 16,500 mothers and 12,000 fathers for its report.
The EOC surveyed 16,500 mothers and 12,000 fathers for its report.
It said the demand from working fathers to spend more time at home was not being met by employers.
It said the demand from working fathers to spend more time at home was not being met by employers.
This had left many new fathers frustrated by the lack of time they could spend with their children, the report added.
This had left many new fathers frustrated by the lack of time they could spend with their children, the report added.
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